Note-sheet feed mechanism for musical-instrument players



No. 756,070. PATENTED MAR. 29, 1904. J. D. SMITH.

NOTE SHEET FEED MECHANISM FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENT PLAYERS,

APPLIOATION FILED DBO. 17, 1902.

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UNITED STATES JAMES D. SMITH, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO FRED W.

Patented March 29, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

WOOD, OF JACKSON COUNTY, MISSOURI.

NOTE-SHEET FEED MECHANISM FOR MUSICAL-INSTRUMENT PLAYERS SPECIFICATION forming pa o Le ters Pa ent No. 756,070, dated March 29, 1904.

Application filed December 17, 1902. Serial No. 135,653. (No model.)

To all whom it Wtay concern.-

Be it known that I, J AuEs D. SMITH, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at 713 Main street, Kansas City, Missouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in Note-Sheet Feed Mechanism for Musical Instrument Players, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to note-sheet feed mechanism for musical-instrument players; and my object is to produce mechanism of this character which operates efficiently and is of simple, durable, and inexpensive construction.

To this end the invention consists in certain novel and peculiar features of construction and organization, as hereinafter described and claimed, and in order that it may be fully understood reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a top plan view of a musical instrument player provided with note-sheet guide mechanism embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

In the said drawings a pair of brackets 24 are connected by cross-rods 25 to form a suitable frame for a musical-instrument player of the type disclosed, but not fully described, because it forms no part of the present invention.

28 designates the note-sheet, shown only in dotted lines and guided over rollers 27, 30, and 29 and the usual tracker-bar 26 or its equivalent and through a feed mechanism comprising the roller 31, adapted to be driven continuously by any suitable means (not shown) and journaled in the lower portion of said frame and the companion roller 32, the lastnamed roller having its shaft 33 projecting through slots 34 in the frame and journaled in the arms 35, carried by the pneumatics 17, which are connected to theair-pump (not shown) by tubes 48, the arrangement being such that the operation of the air-pump effects the collapse of the pneumatics and swings the said companion roller 32 toward the driven roller 31, so as to bring pressure upon the note-sheet passing between them and cause the same to travel or operate in an obvious manner, this relation continuing as long as the instrument is in operation. The advantage which this arrangement possesses o'ver springs for pressing the companion roller toward the driven roller is that the expansion of the pneumatics, following the stoppage of the pump, automatically removes all pressure from the driven roller, and thus prevents the rollers becoming flattened if of compressible material, and, furthermore, enables the attendant to more easily and quickly pass a note-sheet between said rollers or remove it from such position.

From the; above description it will be apparent that I have produced a note-sheet feed mechanism for musicalinstrument players embodying the feature of advantage enumerated as desirable and which obviously may be modified in minor particulars without departing from the principle and scope or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a feed-roller, a companion roller normally out of contact therewith, and pneumatic devices for holding the companion roller in contact with the first-named roller at times.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a feed-roller, pneumatics, and a roller carried by said pneumatics, and adapted to engage the first-named roller when the air is exhausted from said pneumatics.

' In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES 'D. SMITH.

Witnesses:

J AMES W. MGDANIEL, CHARLES D. RULE. 

